New Phone Update

via AT&T is buying $3 billion worth of fibre optic cables from Corning<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/att-corning-fibre-deal/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Today, AT&T has signed a new multi-year deal with Corning to purchase fibre optic cables. The deal is valued at more than $3 billion, and will help AT&T reach its stated goal of connecting 60 million homes and businesses with fibre optic cables by 2030. The carrier has already reached 30 million locations, so half of that, in June this year, six months ahead of its initial schedule. In its most recent results, those for the second quarter of this year, AT&T reported that it added 646,000 total consumer and business internet net s...

via Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra in for review<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/samsung-galaxy-tab-s12-ultra-ifr/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The line between tablets and laptops has been increasingly more blurred for the past few years. That's especially true for devices like the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra - a top-of-the-line slate with a huge AMOLED display and a thin profile. It goes the other way as well; laptops nowadays get the same mobile-based chipsets and tablet-like battery life and fluidity. Perhaps the two categories were always destined to meet in the middle. This is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, and it's a $1,399 (€1,569/£1,399) flagship with a close-to-15-inch 120Hz AMOLED dis...

via Amazon unveils faster Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) and a new Fire TV Remote<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-2026-fire-tv-remote/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Amazon just unveiled a slimmer and faster Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) and a new Fire TV Remote. The stick is 20%-40% faster than similarly priced 4K sticks from other brands, says Amazon. The pricing is $60, by the way, but you can have it for half that – see below. The new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) is powered by a quad-core 1.7GHz processor with 8GB of internal storage. It supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and LE. It can decode up to 4K video at 60fps with the H.264, H.265, VP9 and AV1 codecs. It also supports several HDR ...

Solos gives its smart glasses a physical privacy kill switch <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know-2">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Solos launched its $79 Privacy Kit for AirGo V2 smart glasses, replacing digital toggles with physical camera barriers and clear frame temples.</li><li>The ClearView Temple is a non-powered, transparent frame arm available in four patterns (Ocean Arrow, Amber Net, Mint Check, Teal Web) that visually proves no electronics are inside.</li><li>The Clip-On Bundle includes a full-cover shield to physically block the camera, plus a polarized sun lens available in Dark Green, Dark Grey, or Gradient Brown.</li></ul><p>Solos is providing AirGo V2 owners with a more obvious way to tell when their <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/best-smart-glasses">smart glasses</a...

October Prime Day Samsung deals — how to find the best Galaxy discounts during Big Deal Days 2026 <article> <p>Amazon's Big Deal Days sale kicks off next week (October 6-7), which means we're about to get a look at some of the season's best Samsung Galaxy deals. From <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy/best-samsung-galaxy-s26-deals">S26 smartphones</a> and wearables to tablets and laptops, it's no secret that Samsung produces some of the best tech on the planet. This October Prime Day presents a great opportunity to get some of these devices for cheap, well before the Black Friday sales kick off in November. </p><p>I've been working sale events like this for many long years now, so I have a pretty good idea of what Samsung devices will be going on sale and which you might want to avoid until the holiday se...

via Qualcomm confirms it wants to use Samsung's 2nm process<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/qualcomm-talking-to-samsung-foundry/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>A couple of weeks or so ago, a rumor surfaced about Qualcomm still being in talks with Samsung about the latter's 2nm process node, and possibly using Samsung Foundry to make some of the recently launched Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips. That has not panned out, as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips are made by TSMC just like most recent high-end Snapdragons. However, a new report claims Qualcomm's Senior Vice President and Head of Mobile Handsets, Chris Patrick, has confirmed that his company is "conducting in-depth work regardi...

Honor's Magic 9 Pro Max takes the ARRI cinematic route: spotlights 4K 60fps, 8,800mAh battery <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Honor launched the Magic 9 Pro Max after briefly featuring the phone at the Venice Film Festival.</li><li>The device features a 6.8-inch OLED display, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, and an 8,800mAh battery with 100W wired charging.</li><li>Its ARRI partnership continues with the phone, offering two 200MP lenses, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and strong ARRI Image Science, Cinema Mode, and Live Video.</li><li>The device starts at RMB 6,499 (~$968) in Shadow Black, Glacier Silver, and Moss Green.</li></ul><p>Early this morning (U.S. time), Honor revealed its latest Pro Max flagship phone in China. The device is focused on "Cinema ...

via Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W review<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/xiaomi-magnetic-5000-15w/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The Xiaomi MDY-20-EB, commonly known by its product name Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W, is exactly what its overly long title suggests. It’s an ultra-thin power bank that attaches magnetically to your phone, has a 5000mAh capacity, and can provide up to 15W of power wirelessly. The product was globally announced back in February and has been available in select markets, but was recently also launched in India, along with a couple of other models, like the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000 45W. The Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W...

via vivo X500 Pro Max unboxing and hands-on<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/vivo-x500-pro-max-ifr/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>We had the pleasure of attending the vivo X500 Pro Max unveiling in China, but we're now back at HQ and can get our unboxing hats on! And boy, is there a lot to unpack here. First, a word on the phone itself. This is vivo's latest premium flagship that sits just below the Ultra model (in theory more than in practice), and packs some truly impressive hardware. It's got a spanking-new 2nm SoC in the Dimensity 9600 Pro, packaged with up to 16GB of RAM. It has an 8,000mAh battery inside - that's eight and three zeros, wow! On the back, it features an impress...

The top 3 reliable 100W car chargers that can actually power your laptop on the road <article> <p>Plenty of excellent <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/best-wireless-car-chargers" target="_blank">wireless car chargers</a> can charge your phone on the go while also serving as a mount. I usually recommend these for everyday use, especially since the latest generation of wireless car chargers is Qi2 magnetic, so you don't even need a clamp to mount your phone.</p><p>For long-haul journeys, I recommend wired car chargers instead because they support much faster charging speeds and let you recharge several devices at once. If you're traveling with a laptop or a Chromebook, your car charger needs to support at least 60W to 65W minimum to be compatible.</p><p>That's not enough power to be split between two devices, tho...

via Deals: Galaxy Z Fold7 vs. Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra, plus Galaxy S26 FE alternatives<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/weekly-deals-25/-184x111/gsmarena_us.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Last week, we focused on the iPhone 18 Pro series launch. This week we’ll have a look at what has been going on with Galaxy phones. Let’s start with the foldables. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 – last year’s book-style foldable – is available for $1,350. This is $550 less than what its replacement costs, the Z Fold8 Ultra. Both are surprisingly thin (8.9mm) and light (215g) for foldables, but the new one brings a tangible increase in battery size – 600mAh over the 4,400mAh battery of the Z Fold7. And it increases both wired (25W to 4...

via Qualcomm may be adding DirectX 12 support on its flagship Snapdragon chips<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/qualcomm-directx-12-rumor/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Qualcomm is apparently considering an official solution to better support PC game emulation on Android. According to one Chinese YouTuber, the company may be adding proper support for DirectX 12 for its Snapdragon chips. If this happens, it would make emulating PC games on Android much easier. The YouTuber in question tested the capability on a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 reference device and managed to successfully run Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong through a translation layer in DirectX 12 mode. It's unclear whether Qualcom...

Muse Charm is the AI Tamagotchi everyone seems to be in love with <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Meta reportedly debuted its latest gadget, the Muse Charm, which is designed to keep users connected directly to its AI via 5G connectivity.</li><li>The Charm features a 2-inch OLED touch screen, a camera, a microphone, and speakers, with a price tag that could encroach on smartwatches.</li><li>During the event, Zuckerberg stated, "...if you’re not wearing glasses, this is going to be by far the fastest way" to talk to Muse AI.</li></ul><p>We're winding down from Meta Connect 2026, but one thing stole the show for us (aside from AI glasses), and that's the Muse Charm.</p><p>A post by <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/999944/meta-muse-c...

Even Realities' 'Exposed' won't sugarcoat smart glasses in micro-drama series about Meta privacy concerns <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Even Realities introduced its "Exposed" campaign, which will evolve into an eight-episode micro-drama on TikTok on October 8.</li><li>"Exposed" will shine a bright light on the privacy concerns that smart glasses with cameras bring to the world.</li><li>Consent is key, but when someone can walk around with a pair of glasses that's capturing you, the drama will ask: where's the consent in that?</li><li>"Exposed" is directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, alongside VITURE Worldwide.</li></ul><p>Even Realities looks to capitalize on Meta Connect by introducing its "Exposed...

via Verizon finally launches the Motorola Razr Fold, Razr+ 2026, and Razr 2026 with Swarovski crystals<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/verizon-motorola-foldables/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Today, Verizon has announced the nationwide availability of three Motorola devices: the Razr Fold, Razr+ 2026, and Razr 2026 with Swarovski crystals. The Razr Fold is priced at $1,949.99, but you can have it for $25 per month with a four-year device payment plan, if you pick Verizon's Simplicity plan. That means you only spend $1,200 in total for the device. The Razr 2026 with Crystals by Swarovski is priced at $999.99, but you can have it for $10 per month for four years (a total of just $480). The Razr+...

Forget the Pixel 10a - this is the best Android phone under $500, and it just scored a rare discount at Amazon <article> <p>Tech keeps getting more and more expensive, but that doesn't mean that you can't find the occasional cheap Android phone deal if you know where to look. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Unlocked-Smartphone-Triple-Lens-Dual-SIM/dp/B0GFWQ77ZM"><strong>Grab the unlocked Nothing Phone (4a) Pro from Amazon today, for example, and you'll get a straight $50 off your purchase</strong></a>. That knocks the price of the midrange masterpiece down to just $449!</p><p>The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro easily holds its own against <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/best-cheap-android-phones">midrange Android phones</a> like the Google Pixel 10a and the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G, blending eye-catch...

via OnePlus 16's AnTuTu score surfaces<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/oneplus-16-antutu/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The AnTuTu team just spotted a OnePlus device with the model number PYB110 in their database. It's powered by the just-unveiled Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 SoC, and the prototype which ran the benchmark had 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The phone also comes with a 185Hz refresh rate. Given these specs, this is clearly the upcoming OnePlus 16. As you can see from the image below, it scored 5,384,433 points in AnTuTu v12. It achieved a CPU score of 1,458,283, a GPU score of 2,010,584, a memory score of 766,362, and a UX score of 1,149,204. Of course this is just a pre...

via RedMagic 12 Pro+ is coming next month, design teased<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/redmagic-12-pro-plus-teaser/-184x111/gsmarena_00.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The RedMagic 11 Pro+ launched in October last year, and nubia has now started teasing its successor, the RedMagic 12 Pro+. The upcoming gaming flagship is confirmed to launch next month with a redesigned look. In a post on Weibo, nubia confirmed that the RedMagic 12 Pro+ will launch in October. The company has also revealed some of the design changes coming to the gaming smartphone. According to nubia, the RedMagic 12 Pro+ will offer an excellent in-hand feel. The phone will be lighter and slimmer than the RedMagic 11 Pro+ and feature rounded corners ins...

via Will the iPhone 18 Pro bend?<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/iphone-18-pro-bend-test/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Since the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max became available on Friday, we've seen not one but two video teardowns, but wait - there's more! Zack from the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel has also got his hands on the new devices, and proceeded to subject them to his usual "durability test". [#InlinePriceWidget,14934,1#] [#InlinePriceWidget,14716,1#] This starts with scratching the display glass as usual, which is, at least in terms of testing with Mohs picks, the best glass out there - it scratches at level 7 and shows deeper grooves at level 8 (all other gla...

Googlebook pre-orders begin: this is everything from Android sync to AI and price <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Googlebooks are finally here, and Google says pre-orders have begun as promised today (Sept. 21).</li><li>The Googlebooks feature touchscreens, haptic glass trackpads, backlit keyboards, and strong Android phone pairing.</li><li>The company says users can cast apps or stop and start projects from their Android phone on their Googlebook.</li><li>Googlebooks from ASUS, Dell, HP, and more start at $899; available at Best Buy, Google Store, and other retailers ahead of an October 4 market release.</li></ul><p>In case you haven't checked your phone, it's September 21. Googlebook pre-orders officially begin today, and Google's full announcement...

via vivo X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max hands-on review<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/reviews/26/vivo-x500-series-handson/-347x151/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="348" height="151" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p></p>

Google built the best $20 AI subscription for everyone, even iPhone users <article> <p>One way Google entices you to buy its latest smartphones — including the <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel/google-pixel-11-review" target="_blank">Google Pixel 11</a>, <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel/google-pixel-11-pro-review" target="_blank">Pixel 11 Pro XL,</a> and <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel/google-pixel-11-pro-fold-review" target="_blank">Pixel 11 Pro Fold</a> — is through its subscriptions. Like most tech companies, Google upsells you a subscription to keep you inside its ecosystem, but unlike most tech companies, Google reaches a large swathe of most people’s daily lives.</p><p>For years, Google subscr...

via EarFun Wave Pro X review<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/earfun-wave-pro-x-review/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The Wave Pro X is EarFun's latest headphones and its newest flagship model. They feature a new dual dynamic driver design targeting low- and high-frequency ranges, as well as have eight microphones for voice pickup and active noise cancellation. In typical EarFun fashion, you also get loads of features, including digital and analog wired inputs, aptX Lossless and LDAC support, Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast support, and multi-point pairing. The headphones are priced at $130 and available in black. Let's see how they perform. Design and comfort The EarFun Wave Pro X are a....

via Oppo Find X10 series launch set, Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra to pack M16 OLEDs, Week 38 in review<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/week-38-in-review/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Another week in the books, these were the top stories in the third week of September. Oppo confirmed its launch plans for the Find X10 series. The Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max will be joined by the more affordable Find X10 E with all three set to launch in China on September 22 (Tuesday). The Pro Max is the headliner from the bunch and is expected to bring the brand-new Dimensity 9600 Pro chip, three 200MP cameras on the back and an 8,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. Oppo Find X10 series l...

via Deals: iPhone 18 Pros launch, refurbished iPhone 17 Pros are expensive, Galaxy Z8 foldables discounted<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/09/weekly-deals-18/-184x111/gsmarena_us.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max went on sale this week in the US, along with 64 other countries in the first wave. If you have your eyes set on an iPhone Duo, you will have to wait for over a month more to get it. As for the new Pro models, here is a reminder of their prices – they cost $100 more than the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max did last year. As is tradition, Apple stopped selling the old Pros when the new ones were unveiled – only non-Pro models last more than a year on Apple.com. But that doesn’t stop third-par...

RayNeo's latest smart glasses cut the price and deliver substantial upgrades <article> <p>It feels like I just reviewed the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, but the company is already back with another impressive new release aimed at the $300 price segment. The RayNeo GT is a much simpler name with notable design and spec boosts, making it a solid entry into what has become the most competitive price segment in smart glasses.</p><p>Despite <a href="https://www.rayneo.com/pages/rayneo-gt-series-ar-glasses">the same $299 price</a> as the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, the new GTs are 8g lighter and feature a new native 3DoF spatial tracking chip, plus the same Vision 4000 chipset that provides SDR-to-HDR conversion and a top-notch 3840Hz PWM dimming rate. Like all glasses in this segment, it sports a 47-degree FoV, but RayNeo has upgraded several parts of the experience that m...